Abstract
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats. This analysis will explain the history of Nikes growth, how they have become an industry leader and have been able to maintain that position over time. The analysis will also show why Nike Inc is a favorable company for someone to invest in.

History of Nike
The start of Nike began in the 1950’s with Bill Bowerman, track and field coach, at the University of Oregon and Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner who enrolled to the University of Oregon in 1955 and competed for the University’s track and field. Bill was always experimenting with different ways to help give his athletes a more competitive edge. His experimenting involved different track surfaces, sports drinks and most importantly running shoes. Bowerman had ideas for better running shoes. However, the established footwear manufactures did not pay any attention to the ideas that Bowerman sent in. As a result of, this he began cobbling, repairing and creating his own shoes for his runners.
Phil Knight graduated from the University of Oregon and enrolled in Stanford University’s MBA program. While working on his MBA Knight wrote a paper proposing that better quality...